Merry Tiller Newbie

[The Colonel]

I've just joined the Forum having been looking for info on Merry Tiller Rotovators. I've recently purchased a Wolseley Merry Tiller and eventually managed to get it going.

The machines data plate says
Wolseley Merry Tiller
Model No. AC3444 TITAN
SERIAL No. 328

and on the engine cover it says
Model 130202
Type 0788-01
Code 77120607 and I believe its a Briggs & Stratton 5hp version.

What age does the info make it? It seem to me a more modern version than others I've seen on http://www.merrytiller.co.uk but not the most modern version. Its got a metal belt guard and was branded Wolseley but didn't have Titan on it (unless its rubbed off).

I've done a bit of homework and looked at all the posts on here about MT's and B&S engines. I've tried the B&S website link but inputting the above details it comes up not found. Will they be able to supply an engine manual if its not listed on their site?

As above getting it going is a bit of a struggle - it will fire eventually after full choke, medium throttle and a drop of petrol in the carb and a few pulls! When warm it is marginally easier. A couple of friends at our village garden have MT's and have given advice. I've changed the engine oil, bought a new belt which squealed all the time, so taken of off again and topped up the gearbox oil and fitted a new spark plug. In a manual I've downloaded it recommends an A41 belt but the one I've been give (it was measured) says A43 - is this too big? Its actually in very good condition and only cost me £40. Its got the extra tines to make 2 sets either side. I've done some rotovating at the garden and it went fairly well for a novice but it did cut out a few times and was reluctant to start again. Today I've cleaned the magneto & magnet faces but it didn't make much difference to starting.

Any helpful tips would be most welcome.

Michael

[Nature's Babe]

Welcome to the forum Colonel, I seem to remember this problem cropping up before, here is a link, if the link doesn't help clive is the one to ask.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6808&hilit=merry+tiller+choke

[The Colonel]

Thank you for the welcome.

I've seen this post but was advised as its a single cyl engine with a magneto there are no points in the car distributor sense, and just to clean the magneto as I did. If I could get a B&S manual I'd invetigate further.

Michael

[John]

Hello Colonel
Welcome to the forum and also to the wonderful world of 'merrytillering'.
This site might help you as they deal with absolutely everything B&S.
I notice that they sell manuals for many B&S engines which is what you are looking for.

http://www.briggsbits.co.uk/index.html

I don't know of any online manuals.
As NB has said Clive is our resident expert on all things mechanical. I'm sure that he'll pick up on your post soon.
There is usually quite a bit of activity on ebay with merry tiller bits and pieces.

John

[Richard]

Your Merry Tiller is a Titan and was made in 1978, making it one of the first to have reverse gear in the chaincase. It probably has loop type handles like most modern mowers, which proved unpopular and Wolseley changed back to 1960s style handles within a year. Titan was written on the cowl atop the engine and many cowls got left off after changing the plug. The engine is indeed 5hp and was made on the 6th Dec 1977. It will have points as, like cars, contact-less ignition came out in the 1980s on B & S magnetos. The points are behind the flywheel so the starter one-way clutch has to be unscrewed to get it off. Instructions for your engine were on B & S’s site but they seem to be making it more difficult to find the right ones every time they alter the website. The manual you downloaded is for the earlier Titan which is as similar to yours as a BMC Mini is to a BMW Mini, i.e. not much.

Don’t use easy start, this removes all oil off the bore and on an aluminium bore it will lead to excessive bore wear. Your symptoms sound more like carb trouble than ignition. As the pulsa-jet carb is above the tank, a fuel pump is fitted so you may have a perforated fuel pump diaphragm. Remove, dismantle and clean the carb before going into the ignition system. Both carb to tank gaskets and carb to block gaskets are double thickness so if you need new ones get two of each. These engines are not easy to work on until you get familiar with them so, if in doubt, leave it to an expert.

[Clive.]

Hello,
I concur with Richards thoughts on this...and he in fact knows much much more about the chassis types than I ever did because when I was employed in the machinery world, 20+years ago, we used to see many B&S engines but actually not so many on Merry Tiller.

Richard has Merry Tiller as one of his specialist subjects.

I haven't visited B&S site for a month or two...but had noticed then that the once easy location of their massive range of scanned engine parts books and operating manuals was less easy to find.?

The engine date is all in the Code numbers.

B&S recommended in more recent times Champion J19LM as the spark plug to use, gapped to 30 thou of an inch.

Choke slides on some MT B&S engines seem to wear loose and thus it becomes difficult to hold them on absolute full choke for cold starting.

Air filter may be worth checking, a worn/blocked filter can have caused a previous owner to try to adjust carb to correct over rich running.

A weak ignition can sometimes affect starting, especially at a full thottle setting, there being more load on ignition at full speed. A weak ignition engine though may fire once only and not be able to sustain a run...whilst you have achieved a run with yours hence the carb/pump problem thoughts. Weak ignition can sometimes also cause a false rich fuel mixture effect leading to an incorrect carb' weak adjustment.

I would also tally with the thoughts on consulting a long established local machinery agent if you feel unfamiliar with working on the machine. Given that your purchase sounds in good basic shape it may be well worth getting it up to specification professionally.

Apologies for my absence. Life and work just gets busier...

...and now I must away and mend next doors washing line. ...due to an errant move with my hedgecutter whilst trimming of our Beech hedge.


Clive.

[oldherbaceous]

Trying not to go off subject, but.

[Clive.]

It was an empty washing line...I was not gazing at and distracted by lines of unmentionables...
I was cutting near to the route of the 240v extension cable and the wires of a post and wire fence...just congratulating myself on missing them when I stood back with trimmer still running to admire my handiwork....and.......

All sorted, except they may notice that they have only 2 green lines and now one yellow line. ... Joey the Budgie now talks sort of scenario..

Clive.

[The Colonel]

Richard & Clive,
Many thanks for your comprehensive replies. I have consulted a local garden machinery firm and a old chap came out to have a look at it and started it first time! There is a technique to it - very little choke and an almost closed throttle and it fires 1st time, and it even did it for me first pull.

It probably has loop type handles like most modern mowers, which proved unpopular and Wolseley changed back to 1960s style handles within a year. Titan was written on the cowl atop the engine and many cowls got left off after changing the plug.

Indeed it has a loop handle and it is missing the cowl, so 2 points there for you.

It will have points as, like cars, contact-less ignition came out in the 1980s on B & S magnetos. The points are behind the flywheel so the starter one-way clutch has to be unscrewed to get it off.

I've read another couple of posts re the points and as it now runs I'll leave well alone for the time being.

Don’t use easy start, this removes all oil off the bore and on an aluminium bore it will lead to excessive bore wear.

From what I've read easy start is very addictive to engines and usually means one thing - a major rebuild is ahead.

Again, many thanks to you both.

Michael